Human Performance Education

In a society of social media and unhealthy living empowering our society, physical education has taken a back seat all over the world. Here in the College of Education, we would like to enhance your every day living and encourage you to make healthier choices as you pursue your collegiate endeavors in Health & Physical Education.

The Nicholls Human Performance Education program provides aspiring students seeking employment within the K-12 school system as Health & Physical Education teachers and/or aspiring coaches great opportunities and experiences in order to prepare them for their life dream. HPED gives you many opportunities to experience the environment provided by K-12 schools; but most importantly, we allow you ample opportunities to interact with your counterparts, such as your classmates, other faculty members to prepare you with classroom management of your Health & Physical Education class within your course work.

Is there a desire to seek experience with professional coaches on the collegiate level, we can assist you on your journey in order to accomplish that goal. There are many opportunities within our program to assist with athletic sports for Nicholls State University.

HPED courses focus on personal and community health issues, fitness, sports conditioning, coaching, and we even give you the opportunity to gain psychological knowledge of students and athletes who participate in the health & fitness environment. Motor learning and Exercise Physiology plays a huge role in our curriculum; we have to understand how to interact with all levels of individuals so that we do not limit ourselves in this world of physical fitness. As a K-12 major in Health & Physical Education, you will not only be given an opportunity to enhance your personal fitness, but you will also be given opportunities to interact with students while you teach and gain field experience through our individual and team sports courses. HPED gives you a “TRUE” foundation in order for you to begin your future as a Health & Physical Education educator.

K-12 Education Program Requirements:

All candidates in the K-12 Education program must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA and a “C” or above in all coursework.

K-12 Education candidates are required to take courses in:

Methods in providing a multicultural environment

Classroom Management and Lesson Planning

Methods of teaching specific to concentration area of instruction

Field Experiences: K-12 Education candidates complete various field experiences throughout required coursework which encompasses a student teaching experience that is completed at the end of the program. These experiences include observations and teaching whole group, small group and individual instruction within the public school setting.

Candidates must also complete Praxis I and the following sections of Praxis II for Louisiana Teacher certification in Secondary Education: PLT: K-6th , PLT: 5-9th , PLT 7-12th , and Praxis exam specific to concentration area.

Praxis I must be completed prior to entering EDUC 250 (Introduction to Education) and Praxis II must be completed prior to the final student teaching semester.

*For the most current program curriculum visit the course catalog and access the curriculum check sheets for the current year.